Barrel-washing machine.



Patented Sept. 4, I900.

MULLER. BARREL WASHING MACHINE.

(Applicationflled Dec. 29, 1899.1

4 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

W/ TNE SSE 8 A 77'OHNEYS No. 657,354. Patented Sept. 4, I900.

.1;- MULLER. BARREL WASHING MACHINE. (Application filed bee. 29, 1899.)

(No Model. 4 Sheets-Shut 2.

m: NORRIS wn'gns co. FHOYOUTHD WASHIHUi'DN. u. c,

Patented Sept. 4, I900. J. MULLER. BARREL WASHING MACHINE.

(Application fllqd Dec. 29, 1899.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

WI TNESSES IN VE N701? A 7TOH/VEYS o. c. mr. "cams versus my, mcfoumzxWASHINL'TQN Pagented Sept. 4. I900.

.1. MULLER. BARREL WASHING MACHINE.

(Appl t fildD 29 1899) 4 Shets-Sheet 4.

No Model.)

//V VENTO/Y WI NES$ES I w/ i.

1 UNITED PATENT OFFICE.

not]; Mt'imnabr NEW time, N. Y., As'sIeNoi t To .o taotti m H. MULLER;

or SAME: PLACE.

BAI'iR EL-WASHITNG: MACHINE.

sPE'cmeAm'os formi g part of Letters Patent 656,354, data September 4,190d;

Application filed Deeember 29,1899h Serial No. 741,891. tNojmodel.)

To aLZZ whom it may concern.

Be itknown that I, JACOB MfiLLER, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of New York,bor ough of Manhattamaiid State of NewYork, have invented certain new and nseful'lmprovements' inBarrel-Washing Machines, of which the following is a specification. t VThis invention relates to an improved selfacting keg and barrel washingmachine for breweries, which has for its object to wash the kegs orbarrels, at the same time both inside and outside, in an effectivemanner and to deliver them directly to the scrubbing-machine IS' andsprinkler for final Outside and inside cleaning; and the in ventionconsists of a barrel-washing machine which comprisesa tank, acradle insaid tank, means forsupplying barrels to said cradle, and means for im-.partinga combined rocking and forward and backward motion to saidcradle, so that the barrels and the water are subjected to a rocking andgyrating motion while theyare moved forward in the cradle, so asto be 15thoroughly washed at the-inside and outside;

The invention consists, further, of the combination, with a tank, acradle, and mechanism for imparting a combined rocking and forward andbackward motion to said cradle, ;o of mechanism for taking up one barrelafter the other at the outgoing end of the cradle and conducting it.over the delivery end of the tank to the scrubbing-machine.

The invention consists, further, of means by which the cradle can beadjusted for different sizes of barrels, such as halves,quarters,orsixths; and the invention consists,

finally, of certain additional details of construction, which will befully described here inafter and finally pointed out in the claims. Inthe accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view of myimproved barrel-washing machine. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectionof the cradle, showing the 5 mechanism for adjusting the side rails ofthe same to the size of the barrels to be washed. Fig. 3 is a verticaltransverse section on line 3 3, Fig. 1, showing thebarrel-washingtnechanism and thebarrel in its median position 0 in thecradle. Fig. 4 is a similar section showing the barrel in the act ofbeing rocked rels to be washed.

toward the right-hand side, the dotted lines indicating the extremelimitof motion of thebarrel toward the left-hand side. Fig. 5 is a verticallongitudinal section of the delivery 5 5 end of the tank of my improvedbarrel-wash- ;ing machine, showing the mechanism for taking up onebarrel after the other and delivering it to the scrubbing-machine. Figs.

6 and 7 are detail side views of the mechan- 6c ism for impartingsimultaneously a later ally-rocking and longitudinally-reciprocatingmotion to the barrel, said figures corresponding, respectively, to themedian line of the cradle and to the side position of the same; andFigs. 8 and 9 are detail top views showing the mechanism for adjustingthe side rails of the cradle for larger or smaller barrels.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre- 7o spending parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a ,tank which is made ofsuitable length, so as tto wash a number of barrels atthe same time. Thetank is preferably made of boiler-iron,1 7 5 the sides and ends of whichare reinforced by suitable angle-pieces, while the lower corners arerounded off. A tank A is supported on a suitable bed-framel3 of wood,and provided at one end with supply-pipesd d", provided with Sostop-cocks d for supplying hot and cold water to the tank, so that thewater in the same can be readily kept at the temperature re-. quired forproperly soaking and washing the barrels. The supply-pipes d d arearranged at the ingoing end of the tank, while the outgoing end isprovided with two waste-pipes d (i of which one is arranged at a higher.level than the other, the higher one being used when larger barrels arewashed, while the lower one is used when smaller barrels are Washed, sothat the level of the water in the tank can be adapted to the size ofthebar- When the higher wastepipe 01 is used, the lower waste-pipe d isclosed bya suitable screw-piugp, while when the lower pipe (1 is usedthe higher pipe 01 is closed by the screw-plug. Both pipes are connectedby acommon outlet-pipe d with a sewer, so as to carry 0d the wastewater. The too ingoing end of the tank A is further connected by a pipe(1 with a sprinkler located near treme left-hand position. When thecradledisk is in an intermediate position between its uppermost andlowermost positions, the cradle assumes a median or horizontal position,as shown in Fig. 3.

Simultaneously with the laterally-rocking motion imparted to the cradleby the mechanism just described a longitudinally-reciprocating motion isimparted thereto by means of a compound strap connection of the cradlewith a second auxiliary shaft S which is supported in suitable bearingsat the bottom of the tank A. or The compound strap connection is shownat the left-hand side of Figs. 3 and 4 and in detail in Figs. 6 and 7.It consists of a double pivot-link g g in the nature of a universaljoint, one link being pivoted to the lug g on the intermediate frame 0of the cradle and the other in a plane at right angles to the firstlink,the lower link g being pivoted to the outer end of acrankarm 9 attachedto the end of the transverse shaft S The shaft S is supported inbearings 9 which are attached to bottom blocks g of the tank A. On theshaft S are mounted below the longitudinal center rod 0 of,

the cradle O two parallel cams 9 that are provided at their adjacentfaces and near their ends with raised circular cheeks g which arelocated close to said center rod and which engage two collars 9 that aretightly applied to the center rod, one collar g being slipped on the rodand secured by a clamping-screw g while the other collar is preferablysplit and secured by screw-bolts at opposite sides, so as to beconveniently removed from the rod for permitting the proper location andadjustment of the collars relatively to the cams g As the cradle O isrocked from one side to the other its middle U-shaped frame 0 imparts bythe compound pivot-strap mechanism a rocking motion to the transverseshaft S as its crank-arm g is raised and lowered by laterally-rockingmotion of the cradle. The rocking motion imparted to the shaft Sproduces the oscillations of the parallel cams, and thereby the frame ofthe rocking cradle with the crank arm on the shaft 8 as shown in Figs. 3and 4, the universal joint yieldingsufliciently in every direction inthe same manner as the universal-joint connection between the up-,

per ends of the center frameof the cradle with the yoke-shaped bail h ofthe rocking mechanism, so that a reliable combined laterally-rocking andlongitudinally-reciprocating motion is imparted to the cradle.

In place of the mechanism shown for imparting laterally-rocking motionto the cradle any other equivalent mechanism may be used. For instance,instead of the overhead shaft S a shaft belowthe cradle, extendingtransversely across the tank, may be employed. Likewise in place of themechanism for imparting longitudinallyreciprocating 'motion to thecradle any other equivalent mechanism may be employed By the compoundmotion imparted to the cradle the barrels are moved forwardautomatically and rolled around while passing from the ingoing endtoward the outgoing end of the cradle. While they are rolled in thecradle, the barrels are filled with tepid water up to the level of thewater in the tank.

The water enters through the faucet and bung-holes of the barrels andproduces by the shaking action towhich it is subjected the thoroughwashing of the interior of the barrel, while'the outside of the barrelis simultaneously cleaned to some extent by the agitation to which thewater in the tank is subjected by the rocking motion of the barjrel. thebarrels in the cradle is produced by the The gradual forward-rollingmotion of forward stroke imparted to the cradle, which is accomplishedby locating the parallel cams g of the transverse shaft S and thecollars of the center rod of the cradle slightly in front of a verticalcenter plane passing through the median normal position of the cams onthe shaft S so that a forward impulse is given to the barrels even ifthe cradle C were supported in a horizontal position on itssupportingrollers; but as the cradle has a slight inclination thegradual forward and turning motion of the barrels -is effectivelyproduced tank. The delivery mechanism of the barfrels is clearly shownin Fig. 1 and in detail in Fig. 5. It consists of two endlesssprocketchains I, which are stretched over larger and smallersprocket-wheels t' z" and over guide and tension rollers t 7, uppersprocket-wheels L receive rotary mo- The shaft of the tion by agear-wheel transmission m m m fromthe driving-shaft S, as shown in Fig.1.

The guide and tension rollers i i are supported on short shafts whichare applied to slide-bars 2', which are adjusted on the side walls ofthetank by means of slots and clamping-screws 11 as shown in Fig. 5.

g The endless sprocket-chains I are connected by two transverse rods 1,that are attached to diametrically-opposite points on the sprocket-;chains, said chains being located belowthe outgoing end of the cradle,so that the barrels are taken up by the transverse rods 1 as they aremoved-over the outgoing end of the .cradle and conducted along twocurved stationary guide-rails 1 that are su pportedon yoke-shapedtransverse straps I attached at their ends to the side walls of thetank. The guard-rails lead up to'a level with the upper edge of theoutgoing end of the tank,

so as toconduct the barrels over the guide rails and deliver them overthe downwardlywashing-machine and by. which the exterior cleaning ofthebarrels-is completed. From -the scrubbing-machine the barrels arecon- .ducted tov the sprinkler by which thefinal interior cleansing'ofthe barrel is produced.

A second set of curved guide-railsI is arranged parallel with the mainguide-rails 1- but close to the sprocket-chains I, said guiderails beingattached to the sidewalls of the tank and serving to guide the barrelsin a reliable manner while they are moved over the main guide-rails bythe delivery mech-- The side guide-rails correspond to anism. the siderails of the cradle and prevent'the contact of the barrels with thesprocketchains. and their guide and tension'rollers,

so that they are protected against injury by the barrels. Without theside guide-rails the barrels would be liable to wabblefrom one side to.the other as they pass over the main guide-rails andi wouldinterferewith the proper operation of the delivery mechanism of the machine; f r

Themain advantage of my improved} machinefor washing barrels is that thebarrels are thoroughly washed in tepid water while passing through thetank, as the compound laterally-rocking and longitudinally-reciprocatingmotion to which they are subjected shakes up the barrels and the waterin the same to such an extent as to exert a thorough washing action onthe same. Another advantage isthat the barrels are slowly and.

gradually fed forward automatically, taken upautomatically from thecradle, and deli-vered automatically to the scrubbing-machine. Stillanother advantage is that the separate soap-tank, which was heretoforeused for soaking the barrels preparatory to washing Inally-reciprocating motion to said cradle,sub-

stantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a washing-tank, of a cradle in said tank forreceiving the barrels to be washed, means for imparting alaterally-rocking motion, and means for imparting a simultaneouslylongitudinally" reciprocating motion to said cradle, substantially asset forth.

3. The combination, with a washing-tank,

of acradle in said tank,- for receiving the bar rels to be washed, meansat the bottom of-thetank for supporting said cradle in the same, andmeans for imparting a combined laterally-rocking andlongitudinally-reciprocat- 'ingmotion to said cradle, substantially asset forth. V r

4. The combination, with a washing-tank, of a cradle supported in saidtank, for receiving the barrels to be washed,, means for guid ingthebarrels in said cradle, and mechanism for imparting a combinedlaterally-rocking said cradle, substantially asset forth.

5. The combination, with a washing-tank, of v 'a v cradle supported insaid tank, means for conducting the barrels to the ingoing end ofsaid-cradle, means-for imparting a combined laterally-rocking andlongitudinally-reciprolcating motion to said cradle, and a deliverymechanism for conducting the barrels from the cradle over theoutgoingend of the-tank, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with a washingftank, ofa cradle for receiving thebarrels to be Twashed, means for supporting said cradle in said tank,means for conducting the barrels ,to the ingoing end of said cradle,guide rails .in said cradle for guiding the barrels, means forimpartinga combined laterally-rocking and longitudinallyreciprocating motion tothe cradle, and mechanism for deliveringthe barrels; from the cradle.over the outgoing end or the tank, substantially as set forth.

. 7. The combination of awashing-tank,-supporting-rollers at the bottomof said tank, acradle supported on said rollers, said cradle beingcomposed of transverse U-shaped frames, longitudinal connecting rods.and guide-rails at opposite sides of, said frames, andmeans connectedwith one ofsaidjframes for imparting a combined laterally-rocking andlongitudi'nally-reciprocating motion to said cradle, substantially asset forth.

8. The combination of a Washing-tank, a cradle supported in said tan-k,means for conducting the barrels to the ingoing end of [said ;cradle,means on said cradle for guiding-said ibarrels when passing through thecradle, lmeans for imparting a combined laterallyl rocking andlongitudinally-reciprocating mo- Qtion to said cradle, a deliverymechanism for iconducting the barrels from the cradle over Etheoutgoingend of the tank, and guide-rails ion the delivery mechanism forguiding the lbarrel's over the same, substantially as set lfOIth. I

l 9. In a machine for washing barrels, a craldle'for receiving thebarrels, composed of transverse U -shaped' frames, longitudinalgconnecting-rods for saidframes, and side gguide rails-at the upper endsof said frames,

substantially as set forth.

i 10. In a machine for Washing barrels, a crai'dle for receiving thebarrels, composed of jtransvers'e U -shaped frames, longitudinal rodsconnecting said frames, guide-rails on the sides of said frames, andmeans for adjusting said guide-rails laterally to different ;sizes ofbarrels, substantially as set forth.

a 11. In a barrel-washingmachine,-,a cradle andlongitudinally-reciprocating motion to" composed of transverse U -shapedframes,

longitudinal connecting-rods for said frames, side guide -railsprovided. with fixed outwardl y-extendin g brackets,straps connectingsaid brackets with said frame, pivot-links connecting said straps withthe side rails, and clamping-bolts for connecting the brackets andstraps, according as the siderails are to be adjusted for larger orsmaller barrels, substantially as set forth.

12. The combination, with a washing-tank, of a cradle for receiving thebarrels, said cradle consisting of transverse U -shaped frames,longitudinal connecting-rods, and side guiderails, means for impartinglaterally-rocking motion to said cradle, a universal joint connectingsaid actuating mechanism with the cradle, a rock-shaft supported inhearings on the bottom of the tank, means for connecting one of theframes of the cradle with said rockshaft, cams on said rock-shaft,rollers on the bottom of the tank, said pieces engaging said clamps soas to impart longitudinally-reciprocating motion to the cradlesimultaneously with the laterally-rocking motion, substantially as setforth. 7

13. The combination,with a Washing-tank, of a cradle in said tank,rollers for supporting said cradle on the bottom of said tank, means forimparting a laterally-rocking motion to said cradle, a transverserock-shaft turning in bearings at the bottom of the tank, a crank-arm onsaid shaft, a universal joint connecting said crank-arm with the cradle,cams on said rock-shaft, and collars on the center rod of the cradle,said cams engaging said collars, so as to impartlongitudinallyreciprocating motion to the cradle, simultaneously withthe laterally-rocking motion, substantially as set forth.

14. The combination of a Washing-tank, a cradle supported in-said tank,means for imfrom the cradle over the outgoing end of the .tank, saiddelivery mechanism consisting of curved guide rails, sprocket wheels andchains, and transverse rods carried by said chain s, said rods engagingthe barrels as they are delivered from the cradle and conducting themover the outgoing end of the tank, substantially as set forth.

15. The combination, with a Washing-tank, of a cradle in said tank,means for imparting a laterally-rocking and longitudinally-reciprocatingmotion to said cradle, a barrel-delivery mechanism arranged between thecradle and the outgoing end of the tank and consisting of curved bottomand side guide-rails, sprocket chains and Wheels and transverse rods onsaid chains for engaging the barrels and conducting them over theoutgoing end of the tank, substantially as set forth.

16. In a machine for washing barrels, the combination, with awashing-tank,vof a barrel-delivery mechanism, consisting of rotarysprocket-chains, sprocket-Wheels for driving said chains, transverserods attach d to said chains for taking up the barrels, curved bottomrails, curved side guide-rails, for conducting the barrels over theoutgoing end of the tank, and guide and tension rollers for guiding saidsprocket-chain relatively to said curved bottom and side rails,substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JACOB MULLER.

Witnesses:

PAUL GoEPEL, M. H. WURTZEL.

